Toys of the Gods
by AGreekMyth
Summary: Percy and his friends get all the glory... Well now that they're dead and its about 10 years into the future that should solve that. Come along to meet new friends, new adventures, oh and meet Eros and his little puppets, Teenagers. Mature content! R/R!
1. Introductions

Hello fellow camp half-blood lovers! Well sorry if my fan fic. doesn't have Percy in it... At all...Or Annabeth... Maybe Grover and the Daughter of Zeus... if y'all are nice... Beware! I approach life and sexuality like the Greeks did... mostly... So beware... probably lots of nudity...maybe...

Also I don't own the Percy Jackson & The Olympain Copyright, I only own this story.

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The young man parried the swing of the glowing bronze sword that came after him with his dagger. He caught the blade with his own blade and hand guard, then twisted it until the sword came back on it wielder, point up and dagger aiming for the heart. The weapon stopped as the point made contact with the unprotected flesh of the other half-blood, a son of Apollo and a good friend of the victor.

The loser had a cocky smile and knew he had lost. He had golden brownish hair, hazel eyes, and an excellent tan. He was well built but not to an large degree, it was apparent that he was more nimble and acrobatic then strong and athletic. To top it off he was also good looking.

Dain (the winner) stood with a triumphant smile on his face. The young man had bright blond hair, a finely tuned athletic body that probably would have made a Spartan of old think twice before fighting him one on one. He wasn't very large; actually he was probably average size for a teen his age, only his athletic form and eyes where above average. His deep granite gray eyes spook of intellect and cunning. Intelligence that most collage professors would kill to have. Sure he was no son of Aphrodite but he was pretty dang good looking as well, the only real flaws coming from small tell tale signs of previously broken limbs, even a small bump in his nose told of a once broken nose that had healed. This was Dain MacArthur, intelligent, powerful, deadly, and handsome. This was the son of Athena.

Both we're fighting the way the original Olympic contestants would back in Greece. That is to say ladies its your lucky day. Why? Because nether wanted the other to bring something they shouldn't into the fight that might tip the scales in their favor. They wanted a battle of skill and skill alone. That and they were honoring tradition.

Cheers came from the few spectators that had watched the fight. But a few where louder than others...

"All right Dain you win..." Zach said as he moved the deadly point away from his skin with a face look of disgust but was replaced by a smile soon after.

"Chicken," Dain chuckled as they walked towards the red room entrance and went through. They walked to the locker room and got their cloths.

"Naa, I'm more of a rooster," was Zach's reply with a slight smirk.

Dain chuckled at the joke but said, "Hey hey you my be a rooster but I'm a ram."

"EEHH!!!" shrieked young girl with light brown hair and hazel eyes, "Its sooooo cold!!" She ran out of the water as soon as she had stepped into the ocean and onto the beach. The 14 year old looked very nice in her two piece... even if it was a last years Monrow... Needless to say she hated it for that reason alone.

This was Adara Williams, daughter of Aphrodite and the camps 2nd biggest heart break and one of the best looking girls as well.

Boys turned and took noticed of every aspect of her and the other girl she was wit, whom Adara was teasing with a big cold wet hug, "CLEAR!! Come on! Lets go swimmy!!"

"No..." Clear said as she shoved Adara off of her and looked at her wet tank top and jeans. She sent daggers from her beautiful green eyes at the younger Daughter of Aphrodite but didn't do anything about her wet shirt, only summoned up a patch of Passion vines from the to catch her as Adara tackle hugged her again, "Gods dammit Adara ! Leave me be! Why don't you go brew one of your love potions or flirt with a boy or something! I just want to enjoy the sun while its still up."

Adara let go of Clear and sat in the sand with crossed arms and a pouty face, "Your a party popper you know that?"

"And?" Clear replayed as she took off her wet shirt to reveal the top piece of her own two piece. It was more of a strip of twisted water proof cloth that wrapped around her body for modesty than a real swim suit but she still liked it. Clear Rivers was lacking in standards of beauty when compared directly to the younger Adara but she was still considered to most males a real head turner, though the way she presented herself didn't really make one do so. Usually they went running with tails between their legs because her attitude sent out the message, "Don't fuck with me..." like most daughters of Demeter. More interested in botany than boys.

Why would these two completely different young lady's be hanging out? One reason, they had been paired up for tomorrows swimming competition and Adara wanted to practice.

_More like look for her next boyfriend_ Clear had thought when her partner had dragged her out here.

"Oh come on! You could at least **try** and have some fun!" the daughter of Aphrodite pleaded.

"Oh all right, I'll go for a swim," rolling her eyes she took off her jeans to reveal the bottom part of her two piece bathing suit, "I'm already halfway there anyway..."

Yeay!! already done with Chapter one and have introduced most of the main characters! Y'all have probably noticed a certain half-blood's last name is the same as a famous WWII Gen.'s, eh? Woot! Oh wait got one more chari in me!

Alex rolled his eyes as he listened to the lame puns his brother and Zach where pumping out about who's manhood was bigger. "Stop! Please! Spare us already! We all know neither of you two can compete with me!" with that he pointed down at himself, earning eye rolls of his own from both Dain and Zach.

The jesting went on until all three where laughing their way out from under the Roman coliseum like Arena and towards the Big house to steal something to eat from the Harpies.

Alex looked a lot like his brother, handsome, athletic looking and even most of their features where mostly the same but even if you just meet them you could tell them apart. Not just because Dain was older and bigger but because Alex lacked that ever cocky smile that played his brother's lips. He lacked that air of complete and total victory about him. That and he didn't have as many battle scars and his nose hadn't been broken and healed.

Woot! Okay! Now they have all been revealed... well mostly, might add a few more mates, but who knows? All righty then hope this tides y'all off till next chapter. And remember:

"No one but yourself can keep you from winning!"-Dain MacArthur


	2. A contest won, Another started

Chapter 2... wow I just noticed I didn't include ages in the last chapter. Okay here you are, ages.

Dain: 16

Clear: 15

Zach: 16

Alex: 14

Adara: 14

characters in this chapter

Drake: 16

Vincent: 19

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"And Ms. Rivers pulls ahead! I don't believe it even after her partner was so far behind at the midway point!" said the announcer, who's voice was enhanced with an intercom system, "I guess she really is living up to her last name folks."

The audience cheered with pleasure, it was such a come from behind victory that all had expected the raining champ, a Hermes girl known as Da Vinci to win. Or at least one of the Apollo girls that had entered into the race.

Clear put her fist in the air as she climbed onto the rocky area she and the other swimmers had swarm from and back to. Her smile was short lived when she remembered why she had actually won. It wasn't because she was a fast swimmer, it was that she had it a current on the way back. She had won because Poseidon had took favor with her. Ether that or he was trying to score points with Mother...

_Oh well at least I get to be in the winner circle today_, she thought and looked around for the other girl on her team, and of course she was flirting with her latest victim, some unclaimed kid with light brown hair, probably an Apollo, though there where chances he was another Aphrodite or a Hermes. But Clear's money was on Apollo.

"Oh it hurts, really it dose," the daughter of Aphrodite complained clutching her side. And of course the victim made a big tado about the "cramp" she had gotten while swimming.  
Clear rolled her eyes at the scene. But she couldn't help but be a bit jealous of Adara though. Why couldn't she get a boy to be so wrapped around her finger? Especially that one boy? Why?

"Miss Rivers, there you are!" said Chiron from up in the dry observers area, "now where is your partner... Oh! There you are Adara! You two follow me, we have to get you your trophies now don't we?"

Both girls followed the centaur, Adara apparently forgetting completely about her 'injury', and skipping happily into the winners circle. Campers from the Aphrodite and Demeter cabins cheered happily and even some from other cabins cheered as well.  
Chiron handed both girls their trophies and Clear looked into the crowd of onlookers, and was disappointed. That boy wasn't there...  
Probably planning for the next Capture the Flag(CTF) game that was in two days.

Alex ran towards the Athena cabin with all the speed he could muster. The mission Abigale had given him was completed and he had to report back to his older sister before Ares cabin noticed that their plans had been messed with.

Bursting in with a huff Alex waded to the back of the cabin and past the rows of bunks to the War Room. "I have the package," the half-blood huffed as he sank into a seat with his siblings crowding around him, their original plans forgotten for now on the large table in the middle of the room.

"Well lets see it!" Abigale said happily. The young woman was probably the luckiest person in the cabin, she had survived to the age of 18 and looked good. This was her last summer at camp and she was planning on going out with a bang. That bang involved her being responsible for the most decisive victory over the Ares cabin in Capture the Flag sense the camp was founded. She wanted to crush Ares Cabin completely and utterly.

Alex pulled out a digital camera and Abby took it without question. She was in such a hurry to get at the saved pictures she totally forgot that it wasn't her camera and slammed it onto the digital projector and connected them very ruffly.

Mike, the owner of the camera and equipment, thought she was going to break them but didn't say anything.

"This is perfect!" Abigale yelled happily and pointed at the picture on the white screen. The pictures were of the Ares battle plans for this weeks CTF match, "With these Ares cabin doesn't have a chance! Even if they do figure out we made photo copies we still know what line of thought they are coming from!"

"Yup... Looks like their going for their favorite tactic this week," said Dain as he looked at the read lines the represented the Ares team, "Their using the Boars head Attack/Defend strategy."

Everyone looked at the sideways V shape the the line made and nodded. The Boar's Head was basically a V shaped phalanx that charged right into the enemy and split the enemy forces in two. Like an hatchet cutting down a tree.

Abby nodded and said, "Okay I say we recruit the Apollo cabin and suck up stable duty next time they get assigned to it," This earned several groans from the other campers present but no one objected.

"So that way when they come charging into us and break our expecting front line we can have them rain arrows from above, ripping them to shreds," Alex said completing Abby's thought.

"All right, its settled. We have to get Apollo this week. But I also suggest we get the Demeter's as well," Dain said with a nod and earning several confused looks from his siblings. He began to clarify, "We could use their powers for controlling the forest to our advantage by having them trip up the enemy whilst they are breaking through, giving our archers easier targets."

So the plans for the Athena cabin's victory where set.

An hour or so later Dain was heading off towards the factory-like Hephaestus Cabin. He looked at the sun and estimated the time to be about 5:30. Knocking on the metal door Dain wasn't surprised when it took about a while for someone to answer it. But what did shook him was the explosion from inside he heard just before they did.

Young men poured out of the cabin, almost crushing the son of Athena, most covered in sot and coughing from the smoke that was coming from the now open door. "Thats what happens when you heat that stuff higher than 250 °F!" yelled a particularly large young man. He had dark skin likes his brothers and large hands. They all had dark hair and dark eyes but this one was probably the biggest and oldest. That was Andrew Smith, the counselor for the Hephaestus kids and he was currently yelling at Dain's best friend, Drake Barkly. Drake was of average height and build expect for the usual Hephaestus characteristics he looked like any other African American teenager.

"Wasn't my fault! Cain tripped over the gas valve!" was the retort.

"HEY! Its your friend that was at the door I was trying to answer!" Cain said pointing at Dain.

The argument went on about who blew up the inside of the cabin and probably would have lasted till dinner if Dain hadn't stepped in to defuse the situation, "YO!" everyone shut up instantly and turned their heads, "Is the cabin destroyed?"

Heads shook side to side.  
"Is anyone hurt?"  
Again heads shook negatively.  
"Then is it any real problem other than you have to wait for the smoke to clear to finish your projects?"

Everyone sighed and sat down next to the cabin to wait, knowing they couldn't beat logic.  
"Thanks Dain," Drake smiled as his walked up to him, "Probably saved me from getting baned from the furnace for a few weeks."

"Don't worry about it Metal Head," Dain replied with a knock on Drake's head. Drake had gotten that nickname a while back for being so stubborn and hard headed, it didn't help he was also always thinking about tinkering.

Drake gave Dain a kidding glare that wasn't anything threatening, just him playing his part of the joke. Both laughed and they started to walk. "So you think Chiron will let me use that package in the CTF?" Dain asked at one point in their discussion.

"When pigs fly! Besides the forest is to thick and bumpy for that thing! Don't worry I got a pet project going for the CTFs though."

"Really! What?"

"Can't tell ya buddy, you might be an enemy by the time I finish it. So don't get worked up, it won't be done for a few weeks now."

Dain continued to try and pump info from Drake but wasn't successful... For a while. Drake was just about to give up the secret when a something strange happened.

They had subconsciously made their was towards Half-blood hill and something caught Drake's eye as he looked off in the distance in thought. "Hey whats that?" he asked and pointed to a spot just outside the camp border.

"Stop stalling and spill!" Dain said, getting tired of Drake's attempts to dodge his questions on the secret project.

"No really! Look right there! I'm going to check it out," ignoring Dain, Drake jumped the newly constructed fence that now surrounded camp border and ran towards what seemed to be a black splotch on the other side of the hill.

"Hey! Its a kid!" Drake yelled back at his friend as he got a closer look, "Looks like one of Zach's brothers too!"

"Really!" Dain said shocked, Drake really wasn't stalling after all, "Wait... the only Apollo son out on a quest right now is..." He didn't finish his thought until he had jumped the fence himself and got a good look at the unconscious young man, "Vincent..." Dain's eyes filled with worry...

* * *

OHHH! Who's this Vincent kid? Why was Dain so skeptical until he got up close? Why is he worried! I can tell you one thing. If Dain's worried... I'm worried.

Well see ya next time!

"A writer's hell has no pen."

- anonymous


	3. A CTF Match

A/N: Sorry for taking so long just a bunch of drama recently in my life. Anything I need to note before starting? Nope? Okay!

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Many happy and over eager faces stood before Abigale and she couldn't help but smile herself at this prospect. And that prospect was that of winning. But it wasn't exactly winning that she wanted, she wanted to dominate, to crush the opposing team, to completely and finally prove that Athena was the greater of the two war gods. Abigale wanted such a decisive victory that generations of half-bloods to come would look back on this game as a reference to build their own strategies.

_Of course that didn't mean she would win, _Alex thought with a smirk. He and Dain had been discussing Abby's overambitious attitude and both knew that simple drive to win didn't exactly mean you where going to, nor deserved to win.

Alex's thoughts had come from the simple fact that all of their current strategy would work because the Demeter cabin had decided to side with Ares this match. Thus probably making the archers that where going to hide up in the trees easier targets. But Alex shook his head of the thoughts as he put on his helmet.

"All right, lets go back over the plan one more time alright?" Abigale said with a shout and tacked a large map of the forest over a tall board that stood behind her. It detailed the battle plan but as Abby went on people realized it didn't tell them anything new. For a defensive line up next to the creek and old the enemies charge there while the archers fired from above. Nothing revolutionary there.

And thats how the battle went for the first half-hour or so. Ares charging in with their V shaped formation trying to break past the Athena line while getting shoot at with dulled arrows. But then the Demeter reinforcements came in and the Athena phalanx shattered. Not because of anything more than a few upraised roots and campers tripping.

Clear hopped the river as soon as the opposing teams phalanx had broken, running for the place the Athena cabin most likely had placed their flag. She had been picked for the run because of her recent victory in the swimming competition, how that helped her running Clear couldn't figure out. She guessed the Ares kids thought she was long winded and left it at that. Smiling when she saw the shining blue flag she nearly ran right into the small clearing that it was in.

That is to sat that she stopped dead in her tracks and dashed behind a tree when she saw who was guarding it. Sure anyone would have made her do so but this particular boy made her blush slightly while doing so. Clear was not shy, no she was normally upfront and yelling what was on her mind it was just that this boy had a strange effect on her.

"GAH!! No!! Go out there and charge him! Go go the only way you'll make him notice you is if your upfront!" screamed the most beautiful woman you would ever lay your eyes upon. Perfectly proportioned limbs, the perfect shade and color of hair, perfect eyes, perfect everything. This of course was the goddess of love, lust and, other such things, Aphrodite. She had been watching Clear for some time and was even the cause of the crush to begin with.

"What love? Your little soap opera not going the way you wanted it?" said an equally beautiful man as he walked into the goddesses large pink and heart covered room on Mont. Olympus. He carried himself perfectly if not slightly arrogant and he himself was the very definition of male beauty.

Aphrodite threw a pillow at the man and said with a glare that in no way marred her perfect features, "Leave Eros! You're going to distract me!"

"Whats there to distract you from," persisted the god, "All your doing is watching a young woman be to afraid of her feelings."

Aphrodite tried to think up a good retort, and she might have if she where another goddess, but she couldn't "Fine!" she said, "You make it interesting."

"And what do I get in return?"

"I think you know..."

Eros couldn't help but smile at the thought.

Finally willing up the courage Clear decided to try and sneak past the boy...

It didn't work, he had seen her the first time she had appeared and had simply waited for her to come out from behind her tree. He had a sword tip on her exposed neck the instant she stepped out, correctly guessing which way she would come.

Clear moved from shy girl with a crush to warrior as soon as that bronze tip touched her skin, knocking the slightly dulled blade to the side with her own dulled dagger and kicked out at the boys armored chest, which he obviously hadn't expected to happen because he stumbled back before regaining his balance.

But Clear wasn't the kind of fighter to allow her opponent to regain any kind of advantage and was the kind that used every one she got. She went up high, hoping to to knock her opponent over while he was till of balance with a well placed punch to the face.

Again Clear was outmaneuvered for when the boy saw what clear was doing he dropped to the ground himself and let out his arm as she ran past, tripping her. He couldn't help but smile as he that his opponent was good

From there it went on to a basic wrestling match nether could gain an advantage over the other until the boy pulled a very real, very sharp celestial dagger seemingly out of nowhere, which infact he had, and put it to her neck, "Do you yield?" he asked pantingly, his hot breath on her face.

For the first time sense the the start of the fight Clear realized how lose he was to her and she blushed slightly, though nothing that couldn't be explained by her recent fight. But still it took her breath away and it was almost a minute when she realized he had asked her a question.

Thinking quickly she called upon her powers and called up a group of fast growing passion vines and ripped him off from on top of her.

"Fuck!" he yelled as he was dragged and tangled by the vines and as he saw her take the flag.

Ares team won that match

"HAHAHAHA! The all mighty and unbeatable Dain MacArthur got his ass handed to him by a _girl_!!" Alex yelled as he dragged his brother out of the passion vines with the help of several of his laughing friends.

"She was a very pretty girl..." Dain retorted but knew it wasn't much of a come back.

"Fine, Dain MacArthur got his ass handed to him by a very _pretty_ girl. Non the less you lost us the match man!" Zach said in a sounding tone but was quickly replaced with laugh in which everyone joined in. Even Dain, the butt of the joke couldn't help a chuckle.

A/N: Wooh finally done. And for you less savvy in Greek mythology Eros is the titan of Love. Well passionate love. You know the kinda that lasts for a _really _long time.

The Way of War is Survival – Masaaki Hatsumi-Sensi, 34th Grandmaster of the Togakure school


	4. Kane gets in a good joke

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A/N: Beware the lemony freshness! Its in _italic! _Lol its so funny at the end!

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_He was so close she could feel the head of his breath on her skin. She couldn't breath herself he was so close. His voice made her tremble as he spoke three simple words, words that made her speechless, "Do you yield?" he asked simply with his typical cocky smirk. A smirk that made her yearn even more._

_She wanted to say so many things at that moment, so many things. But he stole that chance from her as he moved the dagger he held away from her neck and placed his lips on hers, softly at first then with growing passion. She was putty in his hands. When his tongue moved towards her lips she let him pass without any resistance. She kissed him back as much as she could, playing with and exploring each other's mouths. Stopping only for air._

_He grew more bold with every passing second and after a minute she saw he had finally worked up the nerve to start caressing her, starting at her side and moving his other hand through he hair gently, carefully. And then his right hand reached from her side and slide to rest on her breast, inflaming skin as he went, before massaging her._

_She couldn't help herself and she silently let out a moan of pleasure. Encouraged by her reaction he moved his left hand down from her head and softly touched he shoulder before passing briefly, all to briefly from her other breast to her side. And moved a little lower to just the outside of her leg._

_She didn't say anything, she could barely breath from the ecstasy of his touch, his returned love. She wanted to touch him in a similar way but didn't really know how to do it. But when his hand moved from one breast to the other she could hardly think. Then the hand on her leg moved up bit to just above her pants and for a moment he held it there. The sudden stop made he look up at him and he responded with another kiss before sliding that hand down towards a place no one had every touch before between her legs. He didn't go beneath her panties, he didn't have to. The effects where almost instant and another moan escaped her lips and her panties grew wet as he moved his hand about in ways she never would have considered._

_When she finally regained her wit she thought of a way that she might touch him and do similar things. She clawed at he cloths, trying to take off his shirt before be responded in kind. He moved both hands up to her back to take off her bra and when he was done he saw her perfectly round breasts in their naked and exposed glory, her nipples had from what he had done._

_He smirked again before he went for his pants and she hers. But before he could relive her of her wet underwear she jumped on top of him and reached for his boxers. She massaged him softly, like he had done to her and she smiled when she saw the effect of what she was doing. He let out his own gasps for a while be never to be over done he quickly moved his hands down to her neither regains and removed her wet panties and began to move a finger to simply tease the lips. She moaned and he gained the upper hand once more, flipping her over and placing his head between her legs. He played with her with his tongue and he tasted her oh so sweet taste. She letting out moans and gasps as he flicked her clitoris with his tongue._

_She felt so very loved and she felt like she mattered. It was an amazing feeling. But then he stopped and lowered her to the ground. She felt disappointed at that and wondered if he was finished but then she saw he had finally taken off his own boxers and was positioning himself for entry. _

"_This a will hurt a little," he said and at first she wanted to place her hands down there to stop him, but she only nodded and smiled._

_He thrust and then there was pain. She inhaled through clenched teeth and he held to allow her to adjust. Then she nodded and he began to slowly move back and forth. She still hurt a little but soon that pain gave way to pleasure. Pure pleasure that she didn't want to stop. He held her by her buttocks and his thrust grew more and more swift and powerful. She began to catch the on and gave a few thrusts of her own._

_This went on for several minutes until she felt something mounting insider her. Everything moving towards a singular spot between her legs..._

Clear woke in such a start she hit her head on the bunk above her. Was she really having that kind of dream! No she had more self control than that. But a wetness between her legs told her otherwise. She looked around and saw that her bump on the bed above had awaken Kane, the oldest camper in the Demeter cabin.

"What bad dream?" he asked and then too a wider look of her, a smile slowly spreading.

"Um yeah," Clear replied, trying to desperately to make herself looked scared, which wasn't hard considering she was.

"HAHAHA! Don't tell me you wet your bed!" he said pointing between her legs.

"Emmm.." she didn't reply only blushed and hide under a pillow.

* * *

A/N: You have no idea how hard that is doing without making the chick look like a slut...  
Well now that _that_ is out of my system I can go on with the main plot! HAHA

"Alls fair in love and war" - unknown


	5. just plain Ow

A/N: Sorry the last two chapters where all fluffy and love/lust filled but you know me.

* * *

All righty then now that we all know what I'm like with lemons lets see how I am with gore eh?

Dain walked with Drake both conversing about a little something they hadn't been able to pay much attention to with the up coming CTF match. Alex was with them to but he wasn't really paying them much heed, more interested with thoughts of his new girlfriend than anything. Which just so happened to be a certain Adara Williams.

"So what do you think happened to him?" Drake asked his best friend as they tried to ignore Alex's love struck ravings about how amazing his girlfriend is.

"I don't know man but whatever happened to him its bad. Vincent hasn't been awake sense we brought him in to Chiron three days ago," came Dain's reply as Alex put both his arms around the two and said something everyone within earshot wished they could unhear.

"Okay! We get it! Neither of you two are virgins! Now shut up! I don't care _what_ she dose with your pecker! I just want you to shut up before I make you!" Dain said to his little part, sounding everything like a disgusted older brother, which he was.

Alex seemed to sober a bit at the threat but then smiled and said, "Your just jealous Mr. I'm-so-weak-I-lost-to-a-girl!" Alex's victory laugh was cut short as Dain placed simply shoved Alex to the ground by grabbing him in the shirt and pushing him over his leg for leverage.

Placing a foot on his defeated brother's stomach as he tried to rise Dain asked in a very serious tone, "You gana shut up now?"

Alex didn't reply, knowing full well what his brother would do to him if he talked.

"Good boy," Dain said and helped his brother up before giving him a pat on the cheek. Then turning back to his friend, "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, Vincent's so beat up that not even a large dose of Ambrosia has helped him wake up."

"Who's been feeding him?" Drake asked still smiling from the minor skuffle. He was used to this sort of thing.

"One of his sisters I think. Haven't really been up there myself..." was the reply and Dain faked a punch as Alex opened his mouth to say something, "Naa just kidding go ahead."

Giving a glare at Dain Alex finally added something positive to the conversation, "I think its Samantha actually. She didn't show up for the CTF match so that could be the reason."

The other two just shrugged, unable to contradict him.

Actually Alex had been right. It had Benn Samantha O'brant who had been tending to Vincent's wounds. A job she had taken on eagerly because she wanted to try her hands at fixing wounds instead of creating them. Sam was known for her skill with a bow more than with a med kit but still she was doing a good job.

All three of the boys smiled at Sam when they entered the room that Chiron had given Vincent in the Big House. Sam was 13 years old and wasn't considered the "hottest" girl around. Most boys just said she was "Cute in a little sister kinda way" and that she was. Her blond hair was like like sunshine and her short stature didn't help her get a boyfriend ether. She had a demeanor of innocence about her and it sparkled in her brown eyes.

But all who knew her directly knew that innocence to be a ruse. She was deadly with a bow and would fight to her last breath. She was fiercely independent and wasn't likely to back down from even if defeat was imminent. He powerful bow, a gift from her father, shot arrows that had the burning intensity of the sun. She had potential.

"Hey Sammy!" Dain said ruffling her hair as he walked up next to the seated Samantha, earning a glare and a punch in the gut. He accepted the blow and almost immediately wished he hadn't. That little girl had nearly knocked the wind out of him, though he didn't let it show.

"Hows your brother coming along?" Drake asked, giving Dain a moment to recover.

"He won't wake up!" she wined looking up at Drake with a sad questioning look, almost saying, "Am I doing something wrong?"

"Ahh I'm sure he'll wake up sometime. Guys gata eat some real food sooner or later," Alex said making the same mistake as Dain and earning the same reward, though he didn't hold up so well.

"Whats with you boys messing up my hair!" she yelled at them they heard a slight groan coming from the last place they expected to hear it from.

"Ow my head..." said a rather beat up Vincent as he propped up with his arm right arm and rubbing his bandaged up head with the other. Vincent was relatively handsome and good looking. He had dirty blond hair that bordered on light brown brown. He had stubble from where his beard hadn't been shaved in days and pull that together with his black jacket, blue jeans and brown shirt it gave him a rather rugged look. Especially sense he had a bloody bandage over one an eye.

"YOUR AWAKE!" Sam yelled happily before jumping up and hugging her older brother whom she had only meet recently.

"Ow..." was Vincents reply to her squeel. He gave her a confused pat on the head when she hugged him but didn't argue, it was nice to be loved.

* * *

Over the next few hours Vincent was caught up to speed on who the heck where these people that surrounded him. Of course the only people he knew for certain where Chiron, who joined them soon after Vincent awoke, and Dain, the latter he knew only vaguely.

They didn't question him on how he had gotten so banged up, just that he had though Dain was slowly working up to the subject.

"So, how airs your search for that girlfriend of yours? What was her name again?" Dain asked after a few moments of careful maneuvering and finally reaching the reason Vincent had left camp in the first place.

Vincent let out a sigh and looked around, Sam still clinging to her brother, "You guys got any cigs around here?" he asked but knew the answer before Dain or anyone else even bothered to answer.

"No," Alex said and causing the son of Apollo to sigh heavily.

"Well... There was one lead..." he said after a while though he still spoke haltingly and as if each word pained him, "But it lead... it lead... To a place no man should ever have to go."

Everyone in the room seemed perplexed by this, even Chiron seemed confused by this. "You mean to some monster's den?" the centaur asked the question everyone else hadn't.

"No... this place... its for more dangerous than anything...," then his eyes widened as if a thought had finally broken through to the surface, "Hes coming..."

"Who?" Sam blurted out.

"Hes coming..." was all Vincent could say, and he kept on saying it, confusing everyone until Chiron shooed them all out of the room when Dain had tried to question him further to no avail.

"What went over him?" Alex asked rather openly, if not a bit rude. Sam gave him a glare for it.

"No clue," both Dain and Drake replied at the time and then a , "Owe me a soda," came from Drake, leading to a "damn it." from Dain.

* * *

Later that night Vincent slept in the room given him. Though slept wasn't the proper word. He looked paranoid and jumped at every at every shadow. He fidgeted uneasily with anything he got his hands on. But the worst was that he kept on repeating over and over, "Hes coming..."

Long into the night this went on. Very long...

It was past midnight when Vincent finally heard the reply he had been dreading, "That I am..." came a cold voice from the corner and a boy, perhaps twelve years of age stepped out of the shadows. No door had opened to admit him in, he had simply and utterly just appeared. His hair was jet black, a blacker black no one had ever seen. His eyes held the same color but what made them both seem so dark was that his skin was so pale, like it had never seen the light of the sun, not even for a moment. He wore a white button vest and black jeans.

But what was so disarming and unnerving about this kid was his smile. A smile that seemed to have a darker meaning. A meaning that you were about to die in a most horrible way.

"No!" Vincent jumped back into a corner, trying obviously to get away from the boy, "NO!!"

"Oh yes..., " the boy said in his cold voice, his smile widening, "Yell all you can... No one can hear you..."

For some reason Vincent believed him even though he knew the walls where thin and could easily transfer sound. He didn't yell anymore, he knew it would only make the little monster enjoy his work even more.

A black spike seemed to shoot out from behind the boy and pinned Vincent to the wall through his right shoulder. He clinched his teeth as not to yell out in agony. Then another spike shot out and hit him in the stomach. This one didn't seem to have an end though and moved about to cause more pain.

To his credit, Vincent didn't scream to load when the second spike moved so that it devided being him and came round to wrap him in blackness, still driving through him and pulling so that he was pulled through the spike in his shoulder, pulling it until he had gone the full length of the spike and then with a final jerk past its widened base.

"You...," Vincent said between gasps for air and pain clearly shown on his face and in his voice, "You're a... monster... you... know... that?"

"No... not a monster. I'm more of a demigod...Like yourself...," Then the spike carried vincent very close to the child, only he wasn't a child anymore but a man of Vincent's own age now. His voice had aged and was deeper as well. They where close enough for the boy that was now a man to wisper into Vincent's ear, "Now then... Erobus calls..."

The son of Apollo was then swiftly raised up towards the ceiling and spike much like the one that held him moved in and punctured him in many places but through it all he remained alive somehow and very much in pain until...

_Splat_

He exploded in a mass of blood and gore from the sudden increase in the size of the spikes that punctured him.

Blood splattered on the murder's face and white shirt and he looked down to examine the damage to the piece of clothing, "Damnit... that was my best shirt too..." he said before disappearing into the shadows.

* * *

A/N: Ohhh bloody... Yeah that guys a prick much... Guess you guys can't figure out who's son he is!! if you can I'll update sooner. Post it in your review. and Sally!! Don't ruin it for them!

* * *


	6. WHEN? HOW?

* * *

A/N: Wow sorry took me so long to do this, just havn't had the muse... Every time I started the chapter I wanted to restart, eather thinking its to gory or well not gory enough... I was also surprised no one guessed the killer's father... its really easy mates. Heres a hint: its a titan and there is a reason he can walk in and out of shadows. If iuts in Italic and has "" then its in greek. Also I forgot last chapter's quote

* * *

"In the face of Death we are all equal" - unknown(if you know TELL ME!!)

No one had heard the screams of pain. No one knew of the torture in which Vincent endured. Sam walked into the Big house all smiles. She was looking forward to getting to know her older brother and knew not that he was dead.

She opened the door to his room singing in a soft and melodic voice, one a daughter of Aphrodite would envy. She sang a song about family and hope, one of love and happiness. But that smile vanished when she opened her eyes and looked into the room through the open door.

She saw a hand first, splattered and thrown towards the bed, where it now lay. Then she saw the blood, it was everywhere and covered everything but a human shaped outline on the wall that had the door. The splattered blood had congealed over night. Vincents body parts lay everywhere in the room. On top of the book case lay an arm, his torso had been ripped ascender and was eather plastered to a wall by sheer force or lay a bloody mess on the ground. But the worst of it was the head. The blank eyes that saw nothing, felt nothing. The fact that the jaw was ajar said it was broken.

Sam couldn't even offer up a scream at the horrid sight. Only one thing happened at that moment, well two actually, the first is that Sam felt a deep sadness that a brother sister relationship would never come to pass. The next is that Sam puked whatever breakfast she had that morning.

Alex punched the unclaimed half-blood in the gut, he had lost his dagger in a miscalculation of his opponents strength, and the black haired opponent staggered back, trying to catch his breath.

The black haired opponent looked at Alex in anger and charged forward, his broadsword above his head held in two hands. He made for a downward two handed cut with the weapon but it never made contact. Dain had side stepped the attack and simple place his fist where he knew his opponent's face would go.

You could hear a cracking noise as the cartilage of the nose broke as the boy's own momentum crashed his face into Alex's fist. The unclaimed fell onto his butt and started to curse Alex out in Ancient Greek, holding his bleeding nose.

"_Go to the crows!_" Alex said with a wave of his hand, blood had been spilled, the match was over. Alex retrieved his dagger and headed out of the Colosseum and headed back towards his cabin, a smile on his confident face.

Dain sat in a back room of the Athena cabin. It was a small room and was well light. A designers table sat there and it held many apparatuses attached to it, like a T-square and sliding triangle. The object was expertly crafted and even had an owl design on the legs. It was rumored the thing was ancient and had been designed and built by Hephaestus himself, a gift to the Athena children for some unknown reason.

Never the less there Dain MacArthur sat, surrounded by books and scrolls. He had closed off the room from all his siblings, much to the protest of Abby because she had banished him from the room for losing last week's CTF match. But Dain didn't care he had a project he had to finish. He slid the T-square easily and expertly, switching triangles for just the right degree of an angle he wanted.

He had been sitting there all day and if one would look over his shoulder and didn't know what he was working on it would have looked like a strange mix between a worm, a car, and a house. But if you knew science, understood quantum mechanics, and had a good idea of temporal physics then maybe you would get what he was doing. The boy was designing a machine that could generate a worm hole.

That was Dain's biggest dream. To punch a hole in reality. He wanted to be able to understand the exact physics that allowed the gods to do what they do. He wanted to emulate them and understand the equation. But most of all he wanted to know why. Why they couldn't just blow what ever bugs pestered the world away. He wanted to know how magic worked into physics.

So Dain was kinda pissed when Alex barged into the room completely out of nowhere, "DUDE! Did you hear!!"

Dain made a mistake as Alex surprised him, a long line that completely ruined the maticulas work that had gone into the design. Throwing down the pen he had been using Dain jumped up and grabbed Alex by the neck and pinned him to the wall, "You do realize you just messed up my Lorentzian wormhole generator... don't you?"

"Oh come on," Alex said with a cocky smile, "We both know you more likely to piss a god off before you even finish the damned thing. Besides its not like your going to be able to go through it even if you do manage to punch a hole in reality." Alex wasn't so hot on Dain's ideas about physics. He preferred string theory.

The older brother nearly killed the younger right then and there, except that he would likely get blood on his best edition of _Annals of Physics_ if he did. So he let go of Alex and asked, "So... what caused you to barge in even though the door clearly said 'Keep out!', hmm?"

"Vin's dead," Alex replied calmly.

That sobered up any rage Dain felt toward Alex then and there, "Whoa...?" he managed to ask.

"Dude, you look like a freaking gorilla."

"WHEN? HOW!?" the older brother yelled, ignoring Alex's comment.

"No clue... just that Samantha went in there this morning and he was ripped to pieces. Made her throw up I hear.

And of course the whole group was up there as soon as Dain could get a hold of Drake. Alex, Drake, Dain, and even Zach, considering he was a brother to Vincent. They all went up to the big house where Chiron sat outside the door rubbing his head saying ," By the gods," over and over again. Of course when he saw the procession he looked up and said, "Wouldn't go in there if I where you..."

"Oh yes. Very ripe, haven't seen a person that properly dismembered sense... well I think that big muscle guy that you boys emulate... whats his name... Herbucles? Himcules?" Mr. D said as he walked in wearing his typical shorts and tropical shirt, looking every bit like a cherub at the moment as he took a sip of Diet Coke.

"Heracles?" Drake offered up.

"Oh what ever his name is, he ripped his victims a new one haha. Did it very well two with that big turtle of his," Mr. D said with a wistful smile.

"Heracles never had a turtle...," Zach pointed out, earning a glare from Mr. D.

"Never the less little boys your little friend in there won't be waking up anytime soon."

They all gave a shrug and Dain opened the door a hair to the room, all the others right behind him shoving and pushing to look inside. It made most of them almost as sick as Sam had been earlier...

SOOO sorry I can't go on... Traveling to Indiana tomorrow! And I need to go to bed soon and I promised the readers that can hurt me in RL that I would post this weekend. Nothing much just some chari development for the guys and a little bit for Sam. Have a feeling we may get a Clear moment next chapter

There is no security in this life. There is only opportunity. **- General Douglas MacArthur**


	7. The Prophecy

* * *

A/N: Dear lord... I hate school. Yes, with the upcoming final exams I haven't had time to get this done. So! Time for _Chapter 7: The Prophecy_. I'd like to give a special thanks to the writer of the Sonnet/Prophecy, you know who you are! ;)

"So we're all in agreement, Dain shall lead the quest to figure out who would, could, and did, come into our home and murdered Vincent," Chiron said in the meeting room of the Big House. He was in his wheel chair because he didn't want to stand during the long debate.

The head councilor for the Apollo Cabin had been dieing to get his hands on the quest but he was quickly debunked because he had hardly any experience doing such work. So everyone agreed that a child of Athena would be the best choose. It only made since that Dain, because he knew the dead man best and why he left, lead the investigation and find the son of a bitch. Sure Chiron knew Vincent but he had to run the camp.

"Aye," said a majority of the people in attendance, which included Dain himself, Micheal, the head Apollo councilor, Argus, whom everyone was shocked had talked at all, and finally Mr. D.

The only person there that really didn't agree was Sam, she wanted the quest way more than Micheal had. Still, it wasn't much of a denial considering she didn't really have a say.

"Alright then, its official Dain MacArthur is going to lead the investigation quest," Chiron said with finality and turned to the son of Athena, "You ready?"

* * *

"I'll go talk to the Oracle then," was the simple reply as he got up and smiled a half hearted smile.

It was as he remembered it from his first quest three years ago, an attic full of trophies from heroes past. He saw a broken blade as a memento from the Second God War, it was the weapon of the Titan Lord Kronos, its tip had been broken off from when the sixteen year old Nico di Angelo had stabbed the King of Titans from behind and sent his soul screaming back to Tarturas and from the body of Luke. Neither boy had survived the process and the collapse of the Palace on Mont. Tam that happened soon after. The hippy mummy still sat at the circular table, awaiting its next prophecy and offering.

Dain sat down and withdrew his offering, the skull of a hell hound. Sure the thing was big, about twice the size of a bowling ball, but it made a great offering. Dain didn't even get a chance to ask his question before the Oracle came to life.

Its Mouth opened and the green smoke filled the room, spreading from its mouth. A serpent coiled out from it and wrapped itself around the skull, as if examining the offering before slithering towards Dain himself and coiling around him so that its mouth was right next to his ear as it whispered his fate.

"_The secrets of love is a brutal fate,_

_Broken and darkened hearts are turned to gold,_

_Blossoming faster than Hermes can skate,  
Never was this Aphrodite so bold._

_False love brings about real Olympic war,  
To fight their way they will raise an army,_

_Only to be left to enjoy the gore,_

_And their heroes will be oh so sorry._

_Four will venture across land and then sea,_

_Three are all known but one does not belong,_

_She follows you just so she can be free,_

_When she's discovered, she'll just say 'So long.'_

_A sequence that will lead to destruction,_

_Events colliding in the wrong junction."_

And then the serpent was gone, but inside and taking the skull with it.

Dain sat there for a moment, it hadn't answered any of his questions. It didn't give him any ideas about who the murder was or how to find him... only promises of war and misery. He couldn't help but chuckle. "Fine... if you wana play Hard Ball...? I'll play fucking Hard Ball," with that Dain got up and went back down stairs. Not bothering to return to the meeting room he just went on with the rest of his day, the weight of the prophecy on his shoulders.

A/N: I know short... I have no excuses! Other than the fact I'm working on two more projects now... The Clash(check it out its soooo fing funny) and a little Forgotten Realms Fanfic me and Fantasy are doing.

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. Frank A. Clark


	8. The group forms

A/N: God I'm sorry. You have no idea how hard it was for me to get off my lazy ass to write this. I would start then get a block. Then start up again and reread and say, "Oh thats shit..." and rewrite it. Add to that its summer... .

They sat around the camp fire and they where singing an ancient song about Hellion of Troy, they sang in Ancient Greek. The only person that didn't sing was Dain MacArthur.

Clear noticed this and it worried her. While Dain had never been the best singer, and didn't like singing much at all, she knew that he enjoyed participating in the camp activities. Instead, tonight he sat alone and away from the other campers, sulking. She wanted nothing more but to go over and comfort him.

Clear didn't though, she would probably only make him even madder considering she had beaten him in the recent Capture the Flag match.

The young woman could not have been more wrong. He needed help... From anyone. The Oracle had left him with only his thoughts, and he only saw disaster in the future.

"And now we go to them main point of the evening. We all know by now that the Vincent, son of Apollo, has been murdered. As such we have started an investigation into the matter," Chiron said before looking over in Dain's direction, "Mr. MacArthur was the one chosen to lead that investigation and after consulting the Oracle we have learned that he needs to travel to find the killer. Thus, I am officially deeming this a quest. Thus it is time for him to choose his two partners."

"Hah, you should bring the broad who beat you, unless you don't have the balls..." said one Ryan Carpenter, a son of Ares that always had something to say. Someday someones just gana deck him in the kisser.

The other Ares males laughed at this, knowing full well the story of how the undefeated Dain MacArthur had been bested by a girl, a Demeter at that! Of course the girls quickly thwacked their brothers upside the heads but the damage was done.

Dain carefully considered his next move. If he refused the idea he could be viewed as sexist and likely a coward as well. There was a hush in the crowd until Dain spoke, "Ehh, sure she was pretty strong."

On the inside Clear was a mix of emotions, sure she was going on a quest with the boy she had a crush on but, that same boy had just made a very indecisive decision in bringing her, like she was baggage.

Her sister Kaci spoke up for her, "Hey! Don't be all 'eh sure...' Clear kicked your ass and you know it!"

"Well is she coming or what!?" Dain replied, almost yelling because of Kaci's comment.

"YES!" Clear yelled before Kaci could do any more damage.

"Okay then," Dain said, the steam leaving his voice and turned towards the Hephaestus section of the group, "And you know I'm inviting Drake."

"Hell yeah I'm coming! Someones gata keep you from blowing yourself up!"

"Well, the Harpies have already cleaned and gathered all the evidence," said Chiron as he let the quest group into a storage room that had been turned into an evidence room, " Took them a while to figure out how to use a camera but they got the job done and documented all the things they found."

"They find anything interesting?" Dain asked as he opened up a box to find a set of torn apart set of clothing Vincent had been wearing, he closed it almost instantly.

"More importantly, where's the body?" Drake asked as he followed Dain's lead and started to search the boxes and folders.

"Body is in that shelf over there," replied the centaur pointing towards the corner, "Mr. D. used a bit of his power to make a cold storage for it. I suggest you don't mess with it though. I'm going to have a specialist come up."

"But I thought you didn't want to bring in anyone, thats why you wanted campers to lead the investigation," Clear said, "If anyone got wind that someone had broke through the barrier and did this, or that there was a killer in the camp then we might get shut down."

"True, that is why I'm bringing in another camper. The camps best physician, Micheal,"Chiron said with a nod, "So I'll leave it to you then."

With that the camp director left the room to the trio of unlikely detectives.

"Found it!" Clear declared as she held up a piece of plastic with a bloody fingerprint on it several minutes later.

"Yes! Told you, its impossible for you to not leave a sign of your passing!" Dain said happily as he rushed over from looking inside a folder that had the of photographs of the crime scene, "We got you now you bastard..."

A/N: Wow I know... sorry but I'm going to have to cut you off here. Why? Because I'm going to do something cool next chapter and I have to do it right after this. Hope you enjoy, I know its not much.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Meade


	9. They ride the short bus

A/N: starting really early this time around because a certain someone is going to kill me if I don't get this up real quick.

"Eeeeh! Arcade!" yelled a young girl of about 15 years of age. Bright red duct tape was pulled tight over the holes in the skinny jeans she wore underneath the hot pink and lime green belled skirt. A white tank top was altered in color by the massive amounts of neon colored kandy on her arms. Thin, pale fingers gently tugged at her yellow-green and electric blue dreadlocks. Fluorescent yellow that fanned out into watermelon green brought attention to her lapis-colored eyes, and black to her lips.

A young man that looked to be about 16 or 17 years old walked up behind her and said happily, "Sally, its not just any arcade.. Its _Gameworks!_" He had a small build, both height and muscle wise. The young man seemed to be nothing much at all with his oval glasses, blue jeans and red shirt. His dirty blond hair that bordered on brown was cut short and was slightly messy, like he had combed it then decided otherwise. He wasn't something you would take a second look at but that did not say he wasn't descent looking. What really got you though was his aura. His dark green eyes held nothing when you looked into them, like a void but you also got a sense of happiness that covered that emptiness.

"God Mikormik, you love this place, don't you?" asked another young man about the same age as the other, though he was much larger, and chubbier. His hair was a light dirty blond and was cut short in the typical style of an army buzz cut, it fit in well with forest camo t-shirt and digital camo khakis he wore. The shirt had in large yellow bold type, "I'm hiding from my girlfriend," written on it. He had hazel eyes and a joking smirk on his lips.

"Dude! Eric, this place is heaven! And I have a first name," the boy referred to as Mikormik said excitedly and then sternly to his friend, even crossing his arms and making a pouty face, though one could tell he was only messing around.

"Yeah, its Kyleeeee," Sally said teasingly into the young man's ear before giggling and running off, knowing full well what would happen next.

"_God dammit_! My name is _Kyle_, not some girlish girl name!" He then proceeded to chase after the young girl, yelling all the while, "Get back here! I'm not paying for your card!"

"Pedo!" she yelled back at her pursuer.

This making him smirk a lustfully and yell, "You know it babe!"

"They at it again?" another young man walked up to Eric, no expression on his face, though it was obvious he was trying hard no to smile. He was tall, taller than Eric, but he was also very skinny. This young man wore a brown Metalica hoodie and ratty torn up blue jeans. He looked like a typical base guitarist with his long hair and goatee. The strong thing though was that his fingers were long and boney, perfect for playing a bass.

"Yeah," was Eric's simple reply as he watched the two.

"Elias-sempai! Help me catch her!" Kyle yelled once he noticed his friend's arrival.

"Oh what the hell..., why not?" Elias asked Eric with a shrug, then he was gone. He moved with impossible speed as he caught up to Sally with ease, causing her to yell out before Elias covered her mouth as to prevent more of a scene.

"Ha! Nice work Sempai," Kyle said as he jogged over, but then he laughed even more as he noticed Sally starting to bite down on Elias's fingers.

"Ow ow ow," He said before managing to pull his fingers out, causing him to open up his old and letting Sally go free.

"Serve you right," Sally said with a pouting expression, crossing her arms and turning over to Kyle, "Pllleeease pay for my card... Pweees," then she did the puppy dog eyes.

Kyle tried to resist, even closed his eyes but when he peeked to see if she had stopped, he was putty, "Damn... fine..."

"Yay!" squealed Sally in success and she ran off into the building.

"And hes putty yet again..." a new and younger voice said as he walked up to Kyle and Elias, Eric right beside him. He was shorter than the rest but then again he was also younger. The teenager looked to be about 14 years old and was of average height and for a boy of his age. His bushy light brown hair shone in the bright light. At some times it looked blond, and other points a dark brown. His striking blue eyes scanned the room intently, as if at every moment he was scanning for a new enemy to look out for. But as if to completely contradict the feeling his eyes gave off, his smile was very warm and welcoming. He wore a pair of brand new blue jeans and a green T-shirt.

"Hey runt, how you doing?" Kyle asked, as if ignoring the comment made by the middle schooler.

"Hey man Adam's cool!" Eric said before giving the 14 year old a noggie.

"Hey hey! Stop," he yelled trying desperately to escape.

After a little more goofing off, the group of young men followed Sally into building.

A/N: And thats chapter nine. Who are these strange teenagers? Half-bloods? Mortals? Or the doom of us all...

Sally: **evil laughter**

I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am. Joseph Baretti, quoted by James Boswell, 1766, commonly misattributed to Samuel Johnson


	10. Life is a Journey

A/N: Sorry was on vacation

* * *

"Come on man!" Dain said pleadingly as he knelt before his best friend and fellow hero.

"No! I told you before, it's not finished! If we use that thing for transit to New York then we could be stranded if it breaks down," was Drake's stern reply and to emphasize it he pushed past Dain and headed into Argus's room in the Big House.

"Damn," was the curse Dain used to voice his disappointment before he got up to follow his friend.

Clear had left the boys to go pack for the short trip they were planning to the NYPD CSI lab. Dain had an older sister there that would let them use the nationwide fingerprint database to find their prey.

"Hey Argus," Drake said as he saw the camp security director.

Of course the many eyed man didn't say anything. Instead he turned every eye on his body that was facing Drake's direction on him, it was kind of disturbing.

"Well, you see we need a ride to New York, New York," Drake continued, "We have a contact there that can help us track down who murdered Vincent. We can get a ride to where we need to go after that."

Argus gave an affirmative grunt and left the room.

* * *

A loud crash sounded on the outskirts of Manhattan. A building had collapsed for no apparent reason and three teens stood in front of said building, weapons in hand. Humans ran all about and screaming, "Terrorists!" The Mist was grand wasn't it?

"Drake! Gamma attack attack formation!" Dain yelled as he charged the beast before seemingly ducking to avoid a bite of its snapping jaw. This was a deception; Dain was actually getting in position for Drake to use him as a spring board. Dain threw his friend right at the monster and stood back to watch his plan unfold.

Drake swung his huge hammer left and right as he flew, fending off the the many hungry mouths that bit at him. The son of Hephaestus didn't hit them hard enough for them to go flying off but just enough to take them out the fight. His highly toned upper body strength from years of pounding on metal came in handy on this attack. Drake didn't try to kill the beasts; no, that wasn't the plan.

He pounded and flew his way to land on the back of his enemy and sat down to watch the show. Several heads had bitten each other, and slowly the fights spread from head to head. Before long the monster was tearing itself to shreds and Drake's job of making sure that happened was over. He jumped off the blue hydra's back and was caught by a strange vine that had just grown there.

All three teens looked and watched as the hydra ran down the street, biting and tearing at itself. Clear, arms crossed, couldn't help but glance over at the son of Athena and think, _Gods, he's brilliant._

Dain shrugged, not noticing Clear was blushing, "Have I ever told you how awesome you and that hammer of yours are?" Dain asked clapping his best friend on the shoulder.

Drake had by now sat down on the ground to relieve his weak legs and looked up at Dain, "You could stand to mention it a bit more." In his sitting state the large hammer he held next to him was about as tall as he was, with a head as broad as his shoulders. It had intricate designs of battles of heroes fighting monsters on both sides. Drake looked at and smiled at the beauty, "My dad gave me this a long time ago... a long long time ago..."

"Well I'm hungry, lets hit that McDonald's over there, I'd bet twenty drachmas that Hydra came from there and I haven't had a Big Mac in years," Dain said as he arrogantly strutted past the crowd that was forming.

"Come on," Clear said as she helped Drake get up, "We need to hide... Even if it is a McDonald's."

Drake nodded and hit a button on his huge hammer and it shrunk to the size of a modern nail hammer. He hooked it onto the hammer loop of his carpenter jeans and started off to follow Dain, "You know it must stink to be him."

"Why?" Clear asked, her curiosity peaked.

"Because, he has to compete with a black man with a huge hammer and all he's got is a puny dagger," Drake smirked at his joke and laughed when Clear gave him the disgusted eye roll.

The young woman mumbled something under her breath and ran to catch up with Dain.

Dain was right, of course, that particular hydra had been the monster that had guarded this franchise. The three had been able to eat at a McDonald's, not something half-bloods did very often, and hide from the cops that where investigating the commotion outside.

Before long the heroes where able to sneak off to where they were headed without gaining any felonies, or ending up on the 9 O' clock news.

* * *

A/N: I would like to announce a regular schedule of updates, otherwise I won't get any done... PROCASTINATORS UNIT... tomorrow... okay they will be up every Friday or Thursday so be happy!!

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. St. Augustine


	11. Fun with the Law

A/N: SOOOOOOO SOOOO SOOO Sorry!!! I left you at such a confusing time in the story. Ugh! Computer trouble… my comp needs a new motherboard so it doesn't exactly work. But I have regular computer access again (though limited) at my school library. So I'm back from my unexpected hiatus. XD

"Here's the fingerprint Milly," the young Athenian said as he handed the piece of evidence they had traveled from cap to give to this former camper turned FBI forensics specialist.

"You know I can get fired for this right? Miss-use of tax payer money… it's not even in my jurisdiction…" The older woman rambled on about protocol and how many rules they were breaking. Milly was in her early thirties and any demigod could tell you her mother was Athena. She had all the stereotypical qualities of her siblings, except she was unusually skinny for a woman of her height and age. That and she was obsessed with rules and laws. That obsession had lead her to her current employment, and was why Dain and the others were asking for her help.

"Please! We need you to do this. It's for camp," Clear pleaded as she realized that it would be a threat to their mission.

"It's not even likely your killer is in our database….It only has previous offenders in it," despite her own words, the adult took the fingerprint and placed it in the scanner.

"This will take a few hours, and in the mean time, I have real work to actually be doing, and you being here is against protocol."

Dain and Clear both got the message immediately and left the building before they would get in trouble.

As they left the building Clear gave a sigh of relief. The security had been tight and simply getting into and out of the building had taken several handy gadgets Drake had brought. And even after that, Clear had to create a distraction by fainting while Dain used them.

Drake on the other hand was a few blocks away, tapping away at a computer screen. It was he who had hacked the doors; the code breaker he had given to Dain couldn't. The breaker couldn't hack cameras either; so that the pair wouldn't be on record. Drake hated to be a record.

Most importantly though, he found something that surprised him; and even better—he found it in the FBI computer system. It was something that could be a potential problem for the investigative agency if it wasn't dealt with, or a probe, a virus, or a System Sweeper. These little bad boys were what stole your credit card numbers, your personal information, and everything else on your computer network. Someone was stealing case files and criminal information. So, almost out of habit, he deleted it from their system and cleaned up the mess that it (and he) had made before getting up from the library computer he'd been using and left.

Sometime later they all were sitting in their hotel room. It was a small one room—two bed arrangement. The bathroom door was to the right of the entrance, the television had cable, the beds themselves were comfortable, but there was a smell that they couldn't place that lingered. The guys let Clear have her own bed without question and all three of them busied themselves; Drake fiddling with some gadget on the bed, Dain reading a physics book in a chair and Clear was checking their supply bags (they had three, next to the television).

It was all very awkward for Clear; she wanted to talk to Dain but couldn't work up the courage. She felt that if she opened her mouth she might say something stupid. _Come on… say something to him! It's not like you can go the whole quest not saying a word to the guy._

Bolstered by her own thoughts, she looked up at Dain and the book he was reading. From the distance she was sitting, she could barely make out the title and with her dyslexia acting up it looked like Lbakc Olehs and EItm Wprsa, but after a moment, she realized it was actually _Black Holes and Time Warps_.

"Interested in time travel?" the young woman asked.

Dain's face brightened like the sun at high noon.

"Ever since I read _The Time Machine _by H.G. Wells when I was eight, I've been hooked on the idea. Can you imagine going back in time and actually meeting Odysseus? Or even Themistocles?!"

"Oh **now** you've got him rolling! Now he won't shut up until you hear every equation he's come up with that proves it's possible," Drake said before Dain could actually get off his landing pad.

"I only came up with one! The rest were made by others like Schwarzschild or Matt Visser!" was Dain's retort.

"It's not possible! Even if you did make the wormhole you would just die once you crossed it or get flung off into another universe. All this not-with-standing the possibility of you getting stuck in the event horizon or causing a massive black hole that sucks up the rest of the planet."

Clear blinked; she hadn't expected a full blown debate to start up and was completely blindsided by the spectacle. The young woman had no information on this subject and it hit her that she really didn't know that much about the young man—which troubled her deeply.

Thus, with bitter determination, she resolved to get to know the guy that had captured her heart. She would get to know this brilliant scholar, this modern day Athenian warrior. But most importantly of all, she would work up the courage to ask him out on a date.

A/N: I'm rather pleased at how this chapter came out. I've started and stopped it a million times before it reached this point, going down many roads and finally after a month of writing this one chapter I like it. Enjoy.

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch it to be sure. ~Murphy's Law


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